Pianoobaph co



C. T. DANE.

- CURTAIN STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED mwlo. 191a.

latented Sept. 2, 1919.

fivverubor l 17f; n .20 /6 I? TN! COLUMBIA HAN-00M?" CO" 'MHINO'IDN. D.C.

CHRISTIAN T. lDANE, 0F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CURTAIN-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application filed May 10, 1918. Serial No. 233.668.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN T. DANE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved curtain stretcher.

The object of the invention is to provide a light, cheap and simpledevice for holding curtains in extended position while they are dryingafter having been washed or cleansed.

The object of the invention is further to provide a light frameworkwhich can be firmly fastened together so as to support any length orwidth of curtain in position while drying and which, when not in use,can be folded in small space for storing or for shipment.

To these ends the invention consists in the combination and arrangementof parts set forth in the following specification and particularlypointed out in .the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved curtain stretcher.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the curtain stretcher parts collapsed inreadiness to be packed for storage or shipment.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the channel bracket which connects theupper horizontal bar to the vertical side bar.

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan taken on line 77 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken on line 88 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of thedrawings.

In the drawings, 10 is an upper horizontal bar, 11 a lower, horizontalbar. 12 and 13 are vertical side bars. l t is a vertical center bar.

The upper horizontal bar consists of two parts 15 and 16 connectedtogether by a hinge 17 and locked in extended position by a bolt 18which is slidably mounted in guide plates 19 and 20 on the part 15 andis adapted to engage a lock plate 21 on the part 16, thus lockin the twoparts 15 and 16 firmly in extended position.

The lower horizontal bar 11 consists of two parts 22 and connectedtogether by a hinge 2 1 fast tothe lower sides of said parts 22 and 23,said parts being locked in extended position by a bolt 25 which isslidably mounted in guide plates 26 and 27 on the part 22 and is adaptedto en age a lock plate 28 on the part 23, thus loc ring the lowerhorizontal bar in extended position.

The center bar 14: is fastened to the reverse faces of the horizontalbars 10 and 11 by bolts 29 and thumb-nuts 30.

To the upper ends of each of the vertical side bars 12 and 13 isfastened a channelshaped bracket 31 which has an upwardly extendingright angled ear 32 and oppositely extending lateral arms 33. The upperends of the side bars rest in the channel shaped portion of the brackets31 and are fastened thereto by screws extending through holes 34L in theflanges on the op,- positc side of said channel brackets. The rightangle ear-32 projects upwardly on the reverse face of the upperhorizontal bar and forwardly over the upper edge of said horizontal barwhile the arms 33 extend along the lower edge of said horizontal bar,thus firmly holding the bar on three sides thereof. The bar when locatedin the proper position is clamped firmly to the bracket by a clampbracket 35, see Figs. 1 and 3.

The central portion 36 of the lower horizontal bar 11 is thicker,preferably twice as thick, as the opposite end portions 37 thereof and ashoulder 38 (see Fig. 7) is formed between each of the end portions 37and the central portion 36.

A spacing block 39 is interposed between the side bar 13 and theshoulder 38 and another similar spacing block is interposed between theside bar 12 and the shouldered central portion 36. This spacing block isprovided with a pair of straps 410 through which the end portion 37projects, said spacing block thus being made slidable upon the endportion 37.

Pins 11 are provided adjacent the inner edges of the horizontal bar andof the ver tical side bars upon which the edges of the curtains aresuspended. The upper horizontal-bar is divided-"into"spaces-by indexlines and these lines are numbered, preferably, 24:, 30, 36, etc. asshown in'Fig. 1, 24 indicating the distance from the hinge to the indexline 2st and 36 indicating the distance from the hinge to the index line36 and soon; The spaces between the lines 2%, 30, 36, 12 etc. aresubdivided into inch spaces. The vertical side bars are similarlydivided into six-inch spaces by index lines as indicated in Fig.1 andthese spaces are subdivided into inch spaces. I

The lower horizontal bar 3'1 is shouldered as hereinbefore set forth at38, saidshoulders being each twenty-four inches from the center of thehinge 24 or from the divisional line of the two parts of the horizontalbar. The spacing blocks 39 i are of diflerent lengths, the particularspacing blocks shown in the drawings being six inches in length. Thecenter bar 1A is provided with a series ofholes 4L2 to receive the bolt2-9 of the lower horizontal bar 11,-these holes being indicated by indexlines and numerals, whereby said bar 11 is positioned at differentdistances from the horizontal bar 10. The lower horizontal bar 11 isclamped to the side bars 12 and 13 by clamps 43.

;It will be seen that the obverse faces of the upper horizontal bar 10and the vertical side bars 12-and 13 are flush with each other, whilethe obverse faces'of the lower horizontal bar and: the vertical sidebars are substantially flush with each other.

The manner inwhich the device hereinbefore specifically described isused is as follows; The curtain is measured as to its length and widthbefore it is washed and the frame of the stretcher is set to correspondwith the size of the curtain to be stretched thereon. As shown in Fig. 1the frame of the curtain stretcher is set to accommodate a curtain sixtyinches long and thirty inches wide. The curtain is stretched upon thedevice by inserting the pins ll in the edges of the curtain and thecurtain drying on said pins in extended position dries flat and smooth.While the curtain is dry.

ing the device is placed upon the floor, with the upper horizontal barleaning against the wall, while the lower ends of the side bars 12 and13 and the center bar 14 rest upon the floor, and support the structure.

Assuming that it is desired to stretch a curtain seventptwo inches longand thirty six inches wide, the sidebars 12 and 13 are released from thehorizontal bars by releasing the clamps 35 and 43 and another six inchspacing block is slipped onto each end of the lower horizontal bar 11and pushed up against the spacing block 39 already thereon. The bolt 29is withdrawn from the center bar let and slipped into a hole in thecenter bar 14 which is indexed 36. The side bars are then clamped to theupper hori zontal bar with the inneredges -thereof flush with the indexline marked 36. The side bars are clamped to the lower horizontal barwith their inner edges against the ends of the second spacing blockswhich have been placed upon the end portions 37 of the lower horizontalbar and with the upper edge of the bar 11 in alinement with the indexlines 36 on the bars 12 and 13. The device is now in position to beusedto stretch a curtain 7 2 inches by 36 inches. y i 1 Other spacing blocks1 inch, 2 inches, three inches, et cetera, in length are provided sothat any subdivisions of the spaces 24: to 30 or 36 and soon canbeobtained. 1 r

The device is collapsed by removing the clamps 35 and i3 and the bolts29. The slide bolts 18 and 25 are then slipped back out of engagementwith the locking plates 21 and28 and the upper and lower horizontal barsare then folded. by swinging them on their hinges until their oppositeend portions are brought together and the different parts are thenpacked in small space, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

V Havingthus described my invention, what channel portion adapted toreceive the upper.

end of one of s'aidside bars, a right angled ear extending upwardly fromsaid channel portion and adapted to. receivesaid upper horizontalbar andarms extending in opposite directions from the upper end of said channelportion of said bracket and beneath said upper horizontal bar. v y

2. A curtainstretcher having, in combination, an upper horizontal bar, alower horizontal bar and two vertical side bars detachably fastenedthereto, said lower horizontal bar having an end portion of lessthickness than thecentral portion thereof and a spacing block interposedbetween one end of. said central portion of said lower horizontal barand one of said side bars.

3. A curtain stretcher havlng, incombination, an upper horizontal bar,alower horizontal bar and two vertical side bars detachk bar having anend portion of less thickness than the central portion thereof, wherebya shoulder is formed at the junction of said end portion and centralportion, and a spacing block interposed between said shoulder and one ofsaid side bars and adjacent to said end portion.

5. A curtain stretcher having, in combination, an upper horizontal bar,a lower horizontal bar and two Vertical side bars detachably fastenedthereto, said lower horizontal bar having an end portion of lessthickness than the central portion thereof and a plurality of spacingblocks of different lengths slidably mounted on said end portion andinterposed between one end of said central portion and one of said sidebars.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 15 my hand in presence of tWosubscribing wit- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

